Hi Jim, How did the old stator slide off? They are often a tight fit as studs are not perfect but you should be able to work it off without undue force. Wiggling with fingers should pull it.
Does the old stator want to fit better & center ok?
With old stator on, kicking motor over with plugs out does it look like the rotor wobbles?
This can give a clue as to what is wrong.
Does the new stator slide on ok, but not centered very good?
Be very careful bending the studs as I've seen 2 motors break the case where stud screwed it. I'm terrified of breaking the case, so I won't bend studs while in case.
Comparing the old parts to new you can see what might be off.
Mark studs & stator with paint dots or the like so you know what stud went where & where the binding is.
If needed, remove studs & put in drill press or electric drill by the short end & spin drill slowly. Does stud look bent while spinning? Compare this with paint dots.
Screw stud into nuts held in vise & straighten/bend as needed. This can take some time & go easy.
If you have to file holes in stator if needed.
The centering of rotor in stator does not have to be perfect, but it must never rub. Of course close to centered is best. Do the best you can.
On the last 3 motors I checked my .008" brass feel blade would go all around but very tight in places. I always check the gap when installing stator or rotor.
I have no experience with the new repro stators. The quality may not be so good in hole positioning. If testing showed holes were not perfectly positioned I'd not be affraind to file them. But I'd go through testing to know exactly what is correct & what is wrong before filing. I wouldn't want to file to compensate for a bent stud.
Don
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